Ari Lennox is no longer an artist on J. Cole‘s Dreamville Records label’s roster. According to TMZ, she is moving forward as a solo artist, solely under Interscope Records, which handles the distribution and marketing of Dreamville’s music releases. On Feb. 22, she released her new single, “Soft Girl Era,” marking the beginning of a new chapter in her career, which is exclusively credited to Interscope.
The end of Ari Lennox’s Dreamville era
TMZ reported that each party went its separate ways on peaceful terms. Since the transition is new, the updates have not yet been reflected in the details of the music video for the record or Dreamville’s website.
This news wasn’t likely a surprise for many. At the end of Lennox’s Dreamville Music Festival performance earlier in April, she mentioned how grateful she was to J. Cole and his label for allowing her to live out her dream of being an R&B star. The tone of the speech carried a strong sense of finality, like the closing chapter of an era.
Ari Lennox has been open about her frustrations with the music industry
Additionally, Lennox was vocal about her grievances within the music industry. As Blavity reported, she publicly expressed her frustration regarding how the business aspect of projects is handled under Interscope and Dreamville on Instagram Live.
“Where do I f*cking start?” she said. “I try to do things the right way, and no one takes me seriously, so we’re here, right? We’re here. We’re on social media again because no one takes me seriously.”
The Grammy-nominated singer also posted an Instagram story about the situation in October 2024. The D.C. native claimed both labels were “playing” in her face, and she was “tired” of it.
“Interscope and Dreamville have been playing with me all month and I’m so exhausted. I’m so tired of people treating me like they’re sorry for me and like I’m the face of mental health. I’m ok and I’ve never been happier.” the post read. “What I don’t like is being signed and lied to and manipulated. Not one person at those labels ever knew how to market or protect me. Y’all don’t know the half. Constant let down and neglect. This industry stuff will never be for me.”
Per a post via The Shade Room, Lennox’s outcry received support from her peers Kehlani, T-Pain and Lalah Hathaway. Neither Lennox nor Dreamville Records has issued an official statement regarding the reported departure.
